


You’ll Say You Were Wong and Apologize

by moth_them



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Afterlife, And John admits he was wrong, I can’t tag for shit, Merle sees John in the afterlife, Short, reincarnation (sort of)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:13:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25458337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moth_them/pseuds/moth_them
Summary: Another conversation between Merle and John.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	You’ll Say You Were Wong and Apologize

**Author's Note:**

> This is really dumb but I thought of it while listening to Stolen Century ep. 63

Seeing them cry was awful. It hurt a lot, seeing them turning away, seeing them say goodbye. But now was my time, and I had to go. Let’s see if chillaxing with Pan is everything I thought it’d be.

-

The room was empty, for the most part. There were a lot of people, on a huge field. Fellow followers of Pan, perhaps? Probably not, but it’s nice to think.  
Hold on.  
You’re shitting me!  
“Is that John The Hunger?” I demanded with a massive grin, striding over. The tall man turned around, his eyes wide.  
“Do I know...” John tensed up. “Oh shit.. Highchurch! Merle Highchurch.”  
“Well, well, well...” I crossed my arms, tapping my foot. “Well, John. What do you have to say?”  
John groaned, rubbing his face. “You’re really going to make me do it?”  
“Huh, what was that?” I cupped my ear comically. “What’d you say?”  
“Deities above have mercy.” John whispered and took a huge breath. 

-

I never thought I’d see fucking Merle again. I hoped I wouldn’t. But here he was, jabbing at me.  
“Fine!” I huffed. “I’m sorry, Merle. I was... wrong.”  
I looked up to see Merle sitting on the ground, looking up at the forever rising sun. “Huh. That... Didn’t feel fulfilling. I thought I’d feel proud or smug or something.” Merle looked up at me, and he looked so tired and old. “Maybe you weren’t entirely wrong, John. This is going to be a lonely forever.”  
I frowned and sat down beside him carefully. “No, I’m not so sure it’s going to be forever, Merle. I highly doubt the universes can keep you dead for very long. I’m sure soon you’ll be... Reborn! Or something along those lines, and Merle Highchurch will tear up his new city with his.. Stupid charm, and nearly vomit inducing optimism. This isn’t forever for you, Merle. I don’t think anything ever will be.” I laughed. “My time, however. This is it for me. This serene field with disgustingly happy people like you, and this amazing forever sunrise.”  
Merle tilted his head, tapping his knees. “I like new John.” He decided. “I’d be okay spending forever with these people and Full John.” I blinked.  
“Huh...” I looked at the sunrise. “Full John.”  
“You’re not hungry anymore, John, I don’t think.” Merle scratched his head. “Maybe you’re not Full either. But you’re not hungry anymore. You’re just... John. Yeah. Nevermind. Not Full John, not John The Hunger. Just John, in the forever fields with his forever sunrise.”  
“Wow. I don’t think...” I felt something warm streaking down my face. “I haven’t been just John for a really long time!” I let out a wet laugh, wiping my face.  
Merle laughed too. “Yeah. I don’t think I’ve been able to be just Merle in a while either.”

-

And so they say there in the stupid forever sunrise surrounded by disgustingly happy people, feeling okay being Just John and Just Merle. They played chess, they talked. And one day John was gone, and Merle followed not long after. Merle tore up the city with his stupid charm and vomit inducing optimism and John enjoyed time in the mountains with a family just being okay.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if this sucked lmao! Mostly joking, but this was very fun to write.


End file.
